Beautiful Siargao for Two

Every time a seat sale comes up on my Facebook news feed, I always try to see if I can score a great deal to any destination I have never been before.  When I checked Last November 2017, I got two return tickets to Siargao for PHP1,860!  I timed it for August on our anniversary. ❤️😂

I did some research weeks before the trip for recommendations on day trips, restaurants, transportation, etc.  I even plotted our daily itinerary in Google Sheets!

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon since Cebu Pacific changed their flight schedule from morning to afternoon.  We did not have any pickup arranged so we took the van going to Cloud 9 and General Luna (GL).  We shared the van with five other passengers and paid PHP300 each.  We got dropped off at our accommodation in GL, Hanigad Homestay, before 5:00 PM.  After fixing our room, we headed out to Hanigad Bar, which is right at the beach and has a full view of Cloud 9.  It was Happy Hour!  Cocktails were at PHP150 each, and beers were PHP50 per bottle.

Transportation

Airport Transfers

Ask your hotel or accommodation to make arrangements for airport transfers for when you arrive and leave Siargao.  Still, you can take any of the vans going to and from the Siargao Domestic Airport.  As soon as you get out of the airport terminal, you’ll be greeted by a man with a sign that says “Cloud 9” and “General Luna”.  Going rate here is PHP300 per person.  Expect to share the van with at least five other people.  The vans are air-conditioned and are relatively new.

Tip: Ask for your driver’s contact details if you want to arrange for a ride back to the airport.  If they can’t take you, they will ask one of their fellow drivers to pick you up from a designated place.

Going Around Siargao

You have three transportation options when going around Siargao.  The first option is taking one of the many tricycles (motorcycle with a side car attachment).  Tell the driver your destination (e.g. Cloud 9, specific restaurant, ATM) and you’re on your way.  Expect to pay PHP20 per person, per trip.

The second option is a habal-habal or a motorcycle-for-hire.  Each habal-habal can take on two passengers at a time.  I’m not sure how much each trip costs because I’m too chicken to try this.

Finally, you can rent a scooter or an automatic motorcycle to go around the island.  Depending on where you get them, the daily rate can be anywhere from PHP400 to PHP500.  If you want or need a second helmet, that will be an extra of between PHP30 to PHP100.  That is if they still have any available to rent out.  Gas is on you.  You can go to a Petron station or gas up from any of the stores that sell gasoline in 1-liter softdrink bottles.  The price ranges from PHP49 to PHP60.

Dining

There are a lot of dining options in GL that suit your mood or budget.  I looked up a lot of travel blog posts for recommendations.  Here’s my take on some of them:

Barrel Bar

I listed this in our itinerary as our dinner destination on our first night in Siargao because they are open 24 hours.  We went at around 8:00 PM on a Wednesday and the place wasn’t packed yet.  The place started to fill up around 9:00 PM, just as we were about done with dinner.

We got the Jack Daniel’s Beef Burger with egg and the Barrel Chicken Burger with a side of fries.  We’ve had better burgers, but it was okay.  Dinner (and a glass of pure Calamansi juice) was PHP594.

Tip: Barrel Bar is a self-service establishment.  Order from the counter (near the grill area) and pay as you order.  They will, however, still take your order to your table when they’re ready.

Shaka

Luckily, Shaka was just across the street from Hanigad Homestay.  After watching the sun rise from the Cloud 9 boardwalk, we headed over to Shaka for some of their Instagram-worthy power bowls.  They’re open from 6:30 AM.  I got the Bom Dia bowl because I love mangoes!  Boyfriend got the Cloud 9 Kook, which had peanut butter and banana, among others.  Each bowl is PHP250, but I got mine as a combo with a cup of cappuccino for a total of PHP300.  Breakfast total was PHP550.

Mama’s Grill

When you’re up for some barbecued batikon (gizzards) or isaw (chicken intestines), then you’re in for a treat at Mama’s Grill.  They also have pork barbecue skewers, grilled pork chops, liempo (pork belly), grilled squid, fish, chicken thigh and wings, and vegetable skewers.  The batikon and isaw are at PHP20 per stick, while the pork barbecue is PHP25 each.  Pork Chop and chicken were at PHP75 each, while the squid was priced PHP350 at the time of our visit.  They open at 6:00 PM, but when we got there at 6:30 PM on a Thursday, the place was packed and the order queue was long!  We missed the last of the isaw so we got the batikon, pork barbecue, pork chop and chicken thigh instead.  You have an option to choose among sweet, spicy, or a combination of both for your sauce.  We chose the combination.

They also serve fruit shakes and smoothies.  A large (mason jar) fruit shake costs PHP90.  We got mango and ube shakes.  It was a little bland and I didn’t really taste the mango.

For 7 sticks of batikon (5 for takeaway as pulutan with beer later), 4 sticks of pork barbecue, 1 pork chop, 1 chicken thigh, and 2 large glasses of fruit shake, we paid PHP610.

Tip: If you can, go early so you still have more food options.  Getting a table will be a challenge, especially if you come in as a group.  Their staff, however, are very accommodating and will help you get a table when they can.  Expect to wait for your food to be ready.  Take this time to talk about the day’s events or the plans for tomorrow instead.

Laida’s

Another recommendation I got is Laida’s Store.  The store is located across the entrance to the Cloud 9 boardwalk.  We had breakfast here on our last day in Siargao.  There were not a lot of options when we got there at 8:00 AM.  We had two eggs cooked sunny-side up, a piece of fried fish, some pork dish, and a cup of rice.  All in all, we paid PHP155.

Bake X Siargao

I just found out that this is owned by Binibining Pilipinas Universe Rachel Peters.  And no, we didn’t see her while we had our lunch. LOL  The people here were very nice, though.

We chose to stay here while waiting for our ride to the airport.  Our contact advised us that the van could not pick us up from Hanigad.  Bake X Siargao was a welcome respite from the hot midday sun.  For lunch, we ordered Beef Tapa and the Patismansi Pork Belly with Kimchi Rice.  Our lunch total was PHP610.

Kermit Siargao

Nothing but good vibes here.  On our last night in Siargao, we went to Kermit for our anniversary dinner.  This place comes highly recommended and it did not disappoint.  We started with some buy-one-get-one Kermit Mojitos.  We also had to get the famous pizza, of course.  We added onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, ham and gorgonzola to our pizza base.  The boyfriend also got the Kinilaw a.k.a. Kiniloy – cubes of raw fish in coconut milk and spices.  For dessert, I could not resist the Mango Float with vanilla ice cream.  Everything was so good!

Our dinner total was PHP1190, plus tip.  It was worth it.  The staff were also very nice.  A very good experience, overall.

Tip: Go early!  They start serving pizza at 5:00 PM, and the Main Entrees, Pasta, and Seafood dishes at 6:00 PM.  So if you can, go there by 5:00 or 5:30 PM, just before the dinner crowd arrives.  On Fridays, happy hour is from 4:00 PM until closing.  That’s buy-one-get-one on all their signature cocktails.

J-Kat (Pilar, Surigao del Norte)

On our way to Magpupungko Rock Pools, we realized we were “too early” to enjoy the low-tide pools.  We decided to take an early lunch in J-Kat in Pilar.  The place was clean and the owners were very friendly.  We chatted a bit until we continued on to Magpupungko.

For lunch, we ordered Pork Spring Rolls, Pancit Canton and Nilagang Pata ng Baboy.  Our order, together with a cup of rice and drinks came to a total of PHP385.

Attractions

Sugba Lagoon

Searching online for an arranged tour to Sugba Lagoon can set you back at least PHP2,000 per person that includes lunch, van transfers and boat transfers to and from Sugba Lagoon.  We decided to DIY our tours.

If you took the scooter to Del Carmen, the jump-off point for Sugba Lagoon, parking fee is PHP10.  A boat to Sugba Lagoon is at PHP1,600 and is good for six people.  We were lucky to have met two ladies who agreed to share a boat.  Entrance to the Lagoon is at PHP50 each (Filipinos), more for foreigners and allows you to stay for three hours at the Lagoon.  Renting a Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) will set you back PHP300 to PHP600 for one hour.  The bigger SUP costs more.  Table and chairs can be rented for PHP50 for the whole three hours you will be there.  You may leave your things on the table, just make sure not to leave your valuables unattended.

Magpupungko Rock Pools

We took another DIY trip and this time to Magpupungko Rock Pools.  Motorcycle parking is PHP20 and entrance fee is PHP50 per person, regardless of nationality.  You may stay as long as you like, or as long as it is safe for you to do so.  The pools are only accessible during low tide.  The waves are also huge here, so they do not advise swimming beyond the rock pools.

List of Expenses

Some Helpful Tips

• Don’t forget to bring and put on sunscreen/sunblock.  Before getting on a motorbike, slather on some sunscreen.
• Bring some mosquito repellent lotion with you and apply generously on exposed skin.
• Bring an insulated water flask with you.  Make sure it’s empty when you pass through airport security.
• Pack a pair of your beach shoes or aqua shoes.  Your feet will thank you.
• If you’re staying for more than 2 days, buy a five- or six-liter purified or distilled water.  A six-liter bottle of Absolut water costs PHP150, while a liter of Nature Spring water costs PHP35.  You can then fill your flask when you go around Siargao.  We also used it to brush our teeth with since our accommodation did not have potable water.  They had seawater coming out of the tap.
• There is only one ATM in General Luna.  On our last day, however, it was off.  And I mean “no power” off.  Siargao is also cash country, so make sure you bring more than enough cash with you.
• If needed, you can ask somebody to send you money to the island through M. Lhuillier, Palawan Express, or Cebuana Lhuillier.
• Don’t forget to have fun!  Chat with the locals.

Let’s Go to the Beach, Beach!

May 25 — I managed to wake up at 5AM, a first for the past month or so.  I squeezed in three hours of sleep since I had to make some last minute preparations the night before.

Today is the day my high school friends and I have been planning for for weeks –  our very own beach getaway to Bantayan Island, Cebu! We have all been very excited, and even counted down the days to this day.  Planning was all done through our Facebook group chat.  Thanks to technology, friends from outside Cebu City were still able to participate in the planning process.

My call time was 7:30AM at a mall in Cebu City.  I live about 30 minutes away, so I decided to leave at 7AM.  Unfortunately, 20 minutes later, I still have not been able to get a cab.  I decided to finally just take the shuttle service.  So yes, I was 30 minutes late as I arrived at 8AM. Our friend Makoy, who was going to drive us to the island, already picked up four of my friends.  After me, we were still going to pick up Abbie before finally heading north to Hagnaya.  From there we will take the ferry to Bantayan Island.

We were already 30 minutes behind schedule (no thanks to yours truly), so we advised Makoy to just take it easy.  We decided to just take the next ferry at 12 noon.  However, as soon as we reached the town of San Remigio, we saw a board with the departure schedule of the ferry to Sta. Fe – the port of Bantayan Island.  We saw that there was an 11:30AM trip, and we were just 15 minutes early!  So we quickly filed out to purchase our tickets and went up to board the ferry.

The ferry ride took almost two hours.  I listened to some of my K-Pop songs to pass time, while most of us slept through the whole trip. A few minutes before 1PM, we have finally reached Sta. Fe.

We have reservations at the Sugar Beach Resort.  There were just 7 of us then, but 3 more will be arriving the next day.  Tania had already reserved one room to fit 10 people.  The room rate was at P1800 per night for a non-airconditioned room.  The room was said to have two electric fans. The group first headed to the nearest public market to purchase some essentials including charcoal for grilling, drinking water and some condiments.  When we got to the resort, a man in a motorcycle greeted us and confirmed the name the reservation was under.  He then led us to the middle of the resort, lined with coconut trees.  After we all got out to finally get to the room, he announced that the toilet in that room was broken and suggested an airconditioned room a few meters away.  He then led us to a row of 4 rooms that each had a small porch.  He took us to check the Blue room.  He declared that the toilet had the same problem, and checked the one next door – the Yellow room.  This time, the toilet was working fine. The staff told us that the rate was the same at P1800 per night (I guess this was much smaller compared to the fan room we had reserved for the same price), plus P150 per night for each extra bed/foam.

We were quite hungry by then, so Harvey and Tania started a fire so they can grill the pork belly Tania marinated the night before.  I brought enough cooked rice for the first day, too. There wasn’t much people around when we got there since it was still Friday.  We couldn’t wait to explore the island and head to the water.

Part of our plan for the next three days, apart from swimming to our heart’s content, is to make our version of the music video for Carly Rae Jepsen‘s Call Me Maybe.  Yes, we planned to do that.  And we made not just one video, but 4 versions!

Jump shots are more fun when you do it with friends.  It took several tries before we finally got the hang of it, but even the failed attempts were a lot of fun to do.  What made the three days of beach outing and outstanding and memorable event for all of us, is the company of each good friends, who are not afraid or embarrassed to goof off sometimes.

The trip back tested just that.  Since going to the island there were only 7 of us, including Makoy who was driving, going back, 3 more people were added.  Thus, the arrangement in  Makoy’s truck was one in the passenger seat, four in the back seat of the cab, and 4 at the  truck bed, which was uncovered.

At first, the drive went smoothly, with a few bumps in the road that brought the riders at the back on edge.  However, as soon as we reached the town of Compostela, it started to rain.  We, the people in the cab, noticed that it was raining right away.  However, the people at the back were fast asleep with a towel over their faces and did not seek cover until they were a bit drenched.

We sought cover at the first gas station we found till the rain stopped.  However, as soon as we left the shelter of the gas station, the rain started again.  When we stopped at the next gas station, we decided to all cram inside the cab.  Yes, all 9 passengers fit inside the tiny cab of a Mitsubishi Strada pickup truck.  And we didn’t complain!  In fact, we made the fourth Call Me Maybe music video while inside the cramped cab!

Truly a very memorable experience.  I think I still have a hangover from all the fun we had in the island of Bantayan.

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Korea Tour Day 5

April 1, 2012 – It was an early start for us.  We were out of our rooms by 8AM, on our way to Yeojwacheon Bridge.  We asked the manager, who was cleaning the room two doors down from us, where we could find the Bridge.  He told us that four stop lights after from the motel, we should turn left.  It’s beside the Jinhae train station.  We promised to be back by 10AM for check out.  We have to catch the 10:30AM bus or the next one at 11AM.

It was still very cold out.  There weren’t a lot of people out, too.  When we finally saw the train station, we asked a parking attendant (we think), how to get to Yeojwacheon Bridge (again, in my broken Korean).  He started pointing to a chimney of some sorts, saying that it’s right by there.  Unsure if we really got it, he asked us to follow him.  And we tried to keep up as he sprinted toward the street beside the station.

He pointed straight ahead that that was already the Yeojwacheon Bridge. We were excited to see if the cherry trees that lined the bridge, and made it so post-card perfect in pictures have blossomed.  We can see a tour bus parked ahead.  When we got there, we were greeted by two rows of cherry trees, one on either side of the bridge, but the flowers were still buds.

I had hoped they would have bloomed by now, but suspected that due to the unusually cold spring temperature Korea has been having that it would be delayed.  So you can imagine how disappointed we were.  Nevertheless, the sight was still something else. We still managed to snap some pictures on the bridge, even of the sign that proudly announced that the MBC drama ‘Romance’, starring Kim Ha Neul and Kim Jae Won was filmed on that bridge.

We spent about 30 to 45 minutes on that bridge.  It’s a long uphill bridge, by the way.  By the railings, there were photos of past performances and festivities that had the cherry blossoms as a natural backdrop.  Ah, we can only imagine how beautiful it must be here when the flowers are in bloom.

We walked back down, commenting on our disappointment.  Everywhere else, the cherry blossoms are not expected till the first or second week of April.  That’s not good news to Liza, who’ll be leaving for Cebu on the 3rd of April.

It was almost 10, so we hailed a cab by the train station.  The flag down rate or the initial rate is 2,400 Won, which we think is consumable.  From the train station to the motel, we paid 3,700 Won.  The driver had to take the bigger/main roads instead of the more direct back roads since the latter were closed for the festival.

Back in the motel, we quickly gathered our things and with our overnight bags in tow, went down to the manager’s office to surrender the room key.  We went to the bus terminal and bought two tickets to Seoul (Nambu Bus Terminal) at 24,400 Won each.  We caught the 10:30 bus and was expected to be in Seoul by 4PM.  We were assigned seat numbers, so we didn’t really have to queue to get in.

The bus was surprisingly roomier than the KTX.  We were able to recline our seats, and the foot rest slid up.  There was ample legroom, although the overhead compartment was barely able to accommodate my small overnight bag.

I took out the snacks my friend gave me in Busan, expecting to munch on them during the trip back to Seoul.  We haven’t had breakfast and lunch, so we were already starting to feel hungry.

Liza sat by the window, so she was awake most of the time.  She snapped some photos of the scenery our bus passed by.  I slept through most of the trip.  The first time I awoke was when the bus pulled in to a rest stop.  As soon as I realized where we were, I went back to my nap.

When we got to the Nambu bus terminal, it didn’t feel like we were in Seoul.  It was like we were in some province.  We really wanted to get out of there and head back to Myeong-dong.  We were so relieved to see the familiar sign for the subway just outside the terminal.

Liza needed to go back to Myeong-dong to get a tax refund receipt/document.  She bought some (or a lot of) cosmetics from Missha and forgot to ask for the tax refund.  After filling out the details and getting some further instructions, we both agreed that we were starving.

We dropped by a Vietnamese restaurant and Liza suggested we try something else today.  It’s a cozy little place with about 4 booths and 8 other tables.  There was a tree in the middle of the restaurant, too.  We had egg rolls, seafood rice and the noodle soup.  Even at a Vietnamese restaurant, we were still given side dishes of pickled radish.  They don’t offer a lot of dishes, but what we had were delicious.

We paid 24,500 Won for the meal and left.  We were now heading to Namsan since Liza wanted to see the N Seoul Tower.  It was almost sunset.

Namsan Park, where the N Seoul Tower is located, is situated on a hill (or mountain?). The walk up to the cable car station proved to be a challenge to Liza.  Not even Bacchus D we got from Jacob’s stash could help her walk without stopping to catch her breath.  LOL  Liza was quite surprised how I manage to go on, considering our 6-year age difference.  I just laughed and told her I walk for 15 minutes everyday to catch a ride from home.  I think that is enough exercise.

It was a Sunday, so I wasn’t surprised to see the long queue for the cable car.  I was worried we wouldn’t be able to see the view from above if we don’t get a spot along the sides of the car.  Good thing the Indonesian couple we befriended while queuing let me through so I can snap some photos.  Liza, I discovered, was scared of heights.

We caught the sunset at Namsan.  We took some pictures of the Haechi mascot, the teddy bears promoting the Teddy Bear Museum, and the famous lovers’ locks.  It was getting colder as it was getting darker, so Liza and I decided to head back and meet up with my other friend Jun for dinner.

Jun thought when we said we live in Incheon that it was accessible through Line 1 of the subway.  I forgot to specify that we actually live in Unseo, near the Incheon International Airport, accessible via the Airport train (AREX).  We agreed to meet halfway in Hongdae.  In Hongdae, we had chicken strips with sweet chili sauce and salad with yogurt dressing with ice cream.  A strange combination but it was surprisingly very good.

We talked, laughed, shared Jun’s stories of his life in Cebu as a student.  He shared how he almost bought a ticket to visit Cebu again, but stopped when he realized he has to study.  He is still a university student and still has 2 semesters before graduating.

After dinner (Jun’s treat), we headed to the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf next door.  We stayed and talked again for about an hour.  It was getting late and Liza and I were tired so it was time to go home.  Jun sent us off all the way to the turnstyles for our platform.

When we got back to Unseo, we were so tired that after preparing for bed, all we did was charge the batteries of our camera and only working phone.

Korea Tour Day 4

March 31, 2012 – Since we didn’t do much the day before because of the rain, Liza and I were determined to make the most out of the rest of our stay in Busan.  We will be heading to Jinhae, just an hour away from Busan via bus.

Our original itinerary for Busan included Centum City, Haeundae Beach, Gwangan (Diamond) Bridge and the Cherry Blossoms street.  As it turned out, Gwangan Bridge is quite far from Haeundae, and Jungmin asked us to choose between the two since we wouldn’t be able to cover both that day.  We chose to go to the famous Haeundae Beach.

Liza and I met with Jungmin in the Sseomyeon Metro station.  We then headed out to the Trickeye Museum.  This was a new addition to the itinerary.  Liza saw a brochure of the museum in the guest house and we thought it was better to go there than Gwangan Bridge.  Jungmin hasn’t been to the museum before, too, plus Gwangan Bridge, as we were told, is better at night.

We took the metro and walked about 2 blocks until we reached the Trickeye Museum.  At first, we mistakenly entered the Wedding Hall building because of the huge tarpaulin outside promoting the Trickeye Museum.  The museum was actually beside the Wedding Halls.

Tickets to the Trickeye Museum cost 12,000 Won each, with discounts to kids and the elderly.  Liza and I paid full price.  It’s a bit pricey, but I also wanted to go since we haven’t really done anything in Busan to make it worth the trip (and money).

We had lots of fun, and the paintings, exhibits were really good.  In the photos, it looked almost real.  We didn’t hesitate to pose for wacky, sweet or just plain ridiculous photos.  After all, I paid 12,000 Won for it! LOL

After some time, we were getting a bit tired.  That is even without our overnight bags, which we rented a locker for (500 Won).  The place held a lot of pictures and exhibits and we didn’t have the time or energy anymore to focus on every exhibit.

We finally got out of the museum at 1:30 in the afternoon, and we were all drained and hungry.  Liza asked if we could have Samgyeupsal for lunch.  Jungmin said we can – if we can find a place open at that time.  It is a bit early for Samgyeupsal since this is best paired with Soju.  We tried about 4 restaurants and were about to give up, when Jungmin spotted one that was open.  Samgyeupsal – check!

 We rode our first bus in Korea on our way to lunch.  And Jungmin was quite amused that we haven’t been on one in our 4 days in Korea.  It was a very short ride, too.

Our next stop – Haeundae Beach.  It was sunny out, but it was sooo windy! It was like there was a typhoon or something.  It was quite difficult to even walk to the beach, since the wind was blowing at our direction.  We managed to snap a couple photos and quickly sought shelter in Angel-in-Us Cafe.  In my opinion, from the different Korean cafes we’ve tried, Angel-in-Us has got the best Americano.

We also used the time at the cafe to figure out where to go when we get to Jinhae.  Jungmin helped map out where we should go when we get there, thanks to his smartphone.  We then headed toward Busan Bus Station and bought tickets to Jinhae – 4,700 Won each.  We bid Jungmin goodbye and thanked him for all his help, then queued for the bus to Jinhae.

We had hoped to arrive at around 6PM in Jinhae, but we got there at almost 8.  While on our way to the Jinhae Bus Terminal, I kept an eye out for any hotel, guest house, or motel we may pass along the way.  We don’t have any idea where to get a room because, except for Hill’s Motel mentioned in one blog, nothing would come up in a search for accommodations in Jinhae.

I am glad I can read Hangul because the minute I saw green neon signs saying ‘Motel’, I was relieved.  In fact, just a block away from the bus terminal, there are two motels.  We chose Se Won Motel.  We first spoke to the owner/manager, who was dressed in sweats.  He mentioned it was 6,000 Won for the room.  I knew he was missing another zero there, but said nothing at first since we wanted to check out the room first.

The room was decent in size, although this also being a ‘love’ motel, the hallways are dimly lit.  The room contained a queen bed, a table with 2 chairs, cable TV, hair dryer, mini fridge, phone and a/c.  The bathroom had a tub and shower.  And I was right, after writing down both ‘6,000’ and ‘60,000’, the manager confirmed he meant the room was at 60,000 Won per night.  Tired from the trip and the heavy overnight bags, we took the room and headed back up to the third floor to freshen up.

We didn’t waste any more time and quickly headed down to go to the eve festivities of the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival.  We asked the manager for directions, and he explained that it was two blocks over and to just look for the tents.  And off we went.  Oh, and yes, it was still cold – colder even at 1 degree Celsius that night.

We followed the people who were also walking on the streets, and the music.  As expected, the Hallyu (Korean Wave) performances have already started.  I didn’t recognize the performers yet, so I knew that SHINee, who was advertised to perform have yet to show.

After two groups, the crowd screamed as the MC (host) announced the next performer – Teen Top (a K-pop idol group).  It shouldn’t be long now till SHINee is set to appear.  And although they only performed three songs, I was a happy K-pop fan. 🙂

We checked out some of the tents in the area.  Some were selling fresh, or should I say ‘live’ seafood, hardware and home improvement items, some nutritional supplements, socks and hats, and food – lots of food.

After having our fill of the Korean street food, Liza and I decided it’s time to head back.  We can barely feel our faces from the cold wind.

We turned in early – around 11, since we plan to go to Yeojwacheon Bridge the next day to see the cherry blossoms.

Korea Tour Day 3

March 30, 2012 – First thing we checked was the weather for the day – both for Incheon and Busan.  Today, Liza and I will be heading to Busan.  The forecast isn’t good – 80% chance of precipitation.  Jacob even discouraged us from going to Busan because it will be very cold, he says.  But Liza and I have our hearts set for Busan, and not even 80% chance of rain can stop us.

We were a little behind schedule since we didn’t know what to pack for Busan.  We will only be staying overnight, but with the rain and the ridiculous temperature we’ve been having in Seoul and Incheon, we thought we should go prepared for anything.  That’s why, instead of going to Busan via bus and coming back via KTX (as originally planned), we switched things around.  So, in our rain-ready gear, we headed to Seoul Station.

Seoul Station is huge!  I mean, really.  It was like we were in an airport!  Since Seoul Station is a hub of sorts for inter-city buses throughout Korea, there were as many passengers as our very own airport back home.  We were surprised to see a lot of military personnel waiting for their trains, too.

Tickets to Busan via KTX is at 54,400 Won each.  Our train isn’t scheduled to depart the station till 12:30PM, so Liza and I have an hour to eat lunch and just relax a bit before our trip.  By 12:20, we headed down to platform 4 to start boarding.  The train left right on schedule – 12:30.  We were impressed because back home, that’s almost an impossible feat!  LOL

It was already starting to rain 10 minutes after the train left Seoul Station.  We were hoping it wouldn’t be raining very hard in Busan but when we got there, it was pouring.

We managed to (almost) get lost in Busan Station.  We didn’t know that Busan called their subway system ‘Metro’ so when we asked where the ‘trains’ were, we were directed back to KTX. LOL

We bought the 1-day pass for the Metro at 4,000 Won each, good for use till end of day service of the Metro in Busan.  It sounded like a better deal than purchasing individual ticket each time.

Our first stop was Shinsegae Department Store – Centum City.  This is officially the biggest department store as listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.  It is indeed huge.  But we weren’t really in the mood to shop.  We were starving.

The food court is on the fourth floor of the building.  Liza got some Carbonara and doughnuts for sweets.  I didn’t feel like eating as I was already feeling a little under the weather.  I managed to eat half of the doughnut, though.

We were also waiting for my Korean friend Jungmin, who was coming over from his university.  He will be helping us look for a place to stay the night in Busan.  We stayed in Zen Backpackers, where a bed in a dormitory room is at 22,000 Won each per night.  A bit pricey, but the place was clean, had free wifi so I can work, and free breakfast (toast and coffee/tea).  The owner, June Park was nice, too.  He didn’t show annoyance that my other Korean friends decided to drop by at one in the morning!

I met my friends Sunny and Eric at Cafe Ti-amo.  Had some waffle with gelato and strawberry smoothies.  We stayed till 2AM and decided to head back since they both came from their respective jobs and were tired.

Sunny also brought over some Korean snacks (O Yes), yogurt drinks and coffee from his store, too. 🙂  I definitely have nice Korean friends.

Korea Tour Day 2

March 29, 2012 – Liza and I woke up to nothing but fog around us.  We have already checked the weather and temperature the night before, and we expected some fog, but not like the one we saw.

Well, it also gave us a reason to laze around and rest up after coming home very late from quite an eventful day yesterday.  I did some of my online work, while Liza did some research on our itinerary for the day.  Since we only knew that our visas were approved a couple of days before we left for Korea, we never planned anything specific.  We simply wrote down the places we wanted to see here.

We finally decided to leave at around 11AM and braved the blistering cold toward Unseo Subway Station.

Today, we planned on going to two coffee shops or cafes – The 1st Shop of the Coffee Prince (used as a set in a famous Korean drama of the same name) and the Hello Kitty Cafe.

According to the websites we checked for the location and directions, both cafes are in Hongdae.  The directions told us to get off at Hongdae or Hongik University Station for both locations.  We already have a number of different maps of Seoul and Korea in general, including the subway routes.

Today, we learned that not everything posted on the internet is accurate.  In fact, we followed the directions for the 1st Shop of the Coffee Prince.  We went around the ‘complicated’ Hongdae streets and have asked several people for directions to the said cafe.  The response we got was either they could not give us directions in English, or they simply don’t know what we were talking about.

Finally, one student gave us some directions as to where to go.  But by the time we reached the intersection she mentioned, we can’t find the cafe anywhere.  We asked another lady, who seemed to know where the cafe was located and pointed us to the right direction.  Finally, I can see the small familiar sign outside.  We went in and we were ushered by a waitress into a booth inside.

As per my previous readings of the Coffee Prince shop, prices here are higher than other shops.  A glass of iced chocolate is at 6,500 Won, a slice of their New York Cheesecake (which was very good, IMO) is 7,000 Won, and my Iced Caramel Macchiato was 7,000 Won.  Well, anyway, we were allowed to take pictures of the shop, which was what we really came here for, right?  And we didn’t feel alone since a group of Japanese and Thai girls were also there for the same reason.

The next part of our short itinerary for the day is the Hello Kitty Cafe.  This took quite some time to find.  The directions told us to take Exit 5 of the Hongdae Station and to walk straight then left.  Hmmm… I guess we have to find Exit 5 first – which was kind of difficult.  We asked another student who was also headed toward Exit 5.  We didn’t go down to the subway, but we used that as our starting point.  Unfortunately, we were still desperately lost.

Liza and I were about to give up as we seem to be just walking around in circles.  We finally saw to men – one younger than the other – in uniforms that had POLICE written on them.  We approached the younger police officer and asked, “Where is the Hello Kitty Cafe?”  He didn’t seem to understand, so I asked in my unsure Korean “Hello Kitty Cafe eodi isseo-yo?”  The older policeman heard us and asked him if he knew where it is.  The younger policeman then asked, “Do you have a smart phone?”  Hah! Korea is so digitally connected that anything you need can be answered or accessed through their smart phones.  We have a smart phone, but since we are on roaming, it’s quite expensive to use data.

The older gentleman called someone on his radio to ask for the address of the cafe.  So after a few seconds he finally got the directions on his smart phone.  We just followed the directions, and although we missed the 711 landmark he gave us (it was a small store and the sign was not lit), we finally made it.

I ordered another coffee – Americano and a Hello Kitty Caramel Waffle.  Liza went gaga over the Hello Kitty merchandise in the cafe.  She bought a lot for gifts to her family and even got me a gift for my birthday (which isn’t until September, by the way).  A cellphone charm of a stuffed Hello Kitty is at 7,000 Won.

Finally, we’ve had enough and decided to head home.  It was still very cold in Unseo, so we couldn’t wait to get back to our warm room.  However, we still needed to drop by the supermarket to buy some groceries.  We promised to cook a Filipino dish for our host, my friend Jacob.

There is a Lotte Mart across the subway station in Unseo, and it’s open till 10 PM.  With groceries to keep our hands full, we wanted to take a cab home.  However, the cab drivers do not understand the address we wrote.  We didn’t ask for the Hangul equivalent from Jacob.  We had no choice but to walk home in the cold, again.

Korea Tour Day 1

March 28, 2012 – Technically, it’s Day 2, but since we didn’t do anything after we arrived at around 9PM on March 27, let’s just say it’s Day 1. 🙂

Liza and I woke up at around 6AM (Liza insists I woke up at 7:30 LOL) KST.  We slept on the floor Ondol style at my friend’s apartment in Unseo-do, Incheon.  We rummaged through our luggage for something warm to wear  since it seemed very cold outside. It was a bit misty and the few people we see walking past our window were all bundled up.

We settled on 3 layers of clothing and a scarf.  We figured it wouldn’t be that cold since it’s supposed to be Spring, right?  Wrong.  As soon as we stepped out of the heated apartment and into the cold morning, we could see our every breath fogging up!

My friend was kind enough to walk us to the nearest subway station (Unseo) and got us some T-Money cards for the subway.  He saw us off and we went on our way to begin the first adventure of the day – finding our way to Seoul. LOL

We took out our handy-dandy map and the print out for our itinerary for the day.  We wanted to drop by the Korean Tourism Organization office first so we can get some more maps and other important information we may need to get around Seoul.  It was a bit difficult following the directions from the print out.  It tells you to turn left, without telling you which corner or at which landmark.  After walking for a couple of blocks, Liza suggested we eat first.  We couldn’t decide whether to eat at the coffee shops we passed by or search for a place that’s open at 10AM that served something with rice.  We then saw the familiar McDonald’s sign and went in so we can finally get out of the cold.

Liza got her Big Breakfast, while I got the Bacon & Egg McMuffin with brewed coffee.  We then headed out to continue our search for the office.

We finally found the KTO office and went to Basement 1 to the Tourist Information Desk.  This is the same level where the Hallyu (Korean Wave) Center is located.  I had my photo taken with some of the standees of the idols I know and like (2NE1, Donghae of Super Junior, etc).  We then asked the kind old lady behind the Tourist Information counter marked with ‘English’ questions about going to Busan for Cherry Blossoms.

The lady told us that the Cherry flowers in Yeouido have not blossomed yet and won’t be expected till first to second week of April.  She called the Busan Tourist Information office to find out where best to go to see the Cherry Blossoms.  She had us take our seats so she may write down the information for us.  After several minutes, she then asked us to approach and explained how to get to Busan and where to go to see the Cherry Blossoms (I’ll post the details here next time when we get to go there). She also provided us with maps, the addresses in Hangeul, in case we need to show it to the cab driver, and other useful tips for going around Seoul.

The plan was to have a cultural tour.  Our next stop was then the Gyeongbokgung Palace.  It wasn’t very difficult to find and since we researched the night before, we know that we have to catch the 1:30PM English guided tour around the Palace.  We got there about 10 minutes before schedule.

Tickets to enter the huge Palace compound is at 3,000 Won per adult.  The guided tour already comes with the price – meaning we didn’t pay extra to join.  We were joined by other nationalities – North Americans (Americans or Canadians), Chinese from England (according to one of the group), Malaysians, and some Filipinos, too.

The guide spoke English with the Korean accent, but the information she provided was very good.  In fact, she answered some questions, including about the concubines of the kings.

After an hour, she bid us goodbye and we were left to explore the rest of the compound.  We took some pictures and then made our way to our next destination – Changdeokgung Palace.  We got there at around 4:00PM – pretty late, I know.  There weren’t a lot of people when we got there.  There was a group of Filipinos, some Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese groups.  We paid 3,000 Won again each for tickets, and the one that included the Secret Garden was at 8,000 Won.  But we decided against going to see the Secret Garden.

Changdeokgung Palace has almost the same set up as the Gyeongbokgung Palace, and after the guided tour, we know why they are set that way.  We finished at 5:30, and by then the place was already closing up. We had to go out the side gate since the main gate was already shut.  We walked toward the subway to get to our next stop – Myeong-dong.

Myeong-dong is always highly recommended because of the different shops in the area.  And at night, the city is packed with people.  Stalls are set up in front of brand-name shops like Zara, Nike, H&M, Nature Republic (Korean brand), The Face Shop, Forever 21, etc.  Shoes are sold starting at 25,000 Won a pair.  H&M were having a sale, where a jacket was at 15,000 Won only from 39,000 Won, a pair of jeans was at 20,000 Won from an original of 59,000 Won.

Our main goal wasn’t to shop, but to go to the Tourist Information Center in Myeong-dong (above Zara) to get to have our pictures taken while wearing the Korean traditional dress or the Hanbok.  When we got there, we found out that we need to make reservations, so we begged if we can have the last slot at 8:40PM (they close at 9:00PM).  We got it!  So, with 2 hours to kill, we went around the area.  Liza’s sister had asked for Missha products (cosmetics) and since I was also out of BB cream, we went and ended up with freebies, too.

We then went out in search of a good place to have dinner – with rice!  We haven’t had rice for 2 days now.  We saw this place packed with diners, so we went in.  I forgot to note the name of the place though, but we shared Jjimddak or Chicken with Vegetables.  It was soooo spicy, but it was also so good.  No wonder people flock to this place.

Oh, and one thing that we also manage to do here is get lost.  We got lost trying to find our way back to the Tourist Information Center.  When we got there, we were 6 minutes late for our reservation, but they never said anything to us, and the lady helped us into the Hanboks we chose for the photo souvenir.

We then headed back home to Unseo, and was miserable during the 30-minute walk from the Unseo station because of the frigid cold.

Korea Again

I was first introduced to Korean culture and lifestyle by my college friends.  At first, it was through the songs known as K-Pop, then movies and K-dramas.  Because of the fame of the drama Boys Over Flowers, my friend Sol and I decided to go to Korea for a 5-day holiday.  It was during the beginning of winter in 2009, and coming from a tropical country, it was a bit difficult to adjust to the very cold weather winter in Seoul had to offer.  But we managed – and survived.

Now, I’m back.  This time, I’ll be around longer than 5 days.  I’ll be staying in Incheon, some 45 minutes from Seoul.  There were some bumps along the way before I finally got to enter Korea (starting with the visa application that was sent in at the last minute).  I will be posting some photos and journal of our (my friend Liza is visiting with me for over a week, too) adventures and misadventures around South Korea.

Singapore on My Mind

This is a break from my Singapore travel posts.  There are moments in between photos and the tours that will forever remind me of Singapore.  It helps that I am traveling with 3 others who are also game.  Allow me to share some of the thoughts, ideas, words, and what-nots that will forever remind me of the 6 days I escaped to Singapore.

1. ‘Berhati-hati di ruang platform.‘  Anyone who takes the Purple (NE) line of the MRT in Singapore knows what this is.  It is a reminder to the MRT passengers in Malay language.  Aside from announcing the next station, the recorded announcement also reminds passengers to ‘Please mind the gap (between platform and train).’  Liza thought that it said ‘Happy happy platform!’  hahaha But we later saw the sticker with the same reminder on the train doors and found out what the announcement really said.

2. ‘Kurog ko!‘ This is in Cebuano and literally means ‘I’m shaking/shivering’ in English.  We said this as a joke to mean that we are shaking in fear. For example, Tiny would say that we should get off at the Promenade station and not the Espalanade, we replied, “Okay, Tin. Kurog ko” (Okay, Tin. I’m shaking in fear).  Oh, and this comes with a matching shivering action.  Another variation is Tessie Tomas’ shaking hand motion when she gets nervous in the old show Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata.

3. Ben & Jerry’s.  Hah!  On our first night, we went inside a 711 close to our place.  Liza saw a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the fridge.  (We don’t have Ben & Jerry’s in Cebu.)  It was expensive when converted from SGD to PHP, and we were still going out to dinner, so we didn’t buy it that time.  Finally, after dinner, we passed by another 711, and saw a smaller cup of the ice cream.  Liza finally decided to get one for dessert. It was SGD5.50 for that tiny cup (around PHP192.50 with the exchange rate that time).  This became the benchmark for our future purchases.  When we see something we wanted to get, but is priced higher than SGD5.50, we would comment ‘It’s more expensive than Ben & Jerry’s!’.

4. ‘Gee‘. This is one of the songs of the Korean girl group Girl’s Generation or SNSD.  This is also known as Tiny’s alarm tone!  O-M-Gee!  I mean, for thee straight mornings, and I should say, early mornings, we were awoken by this song.  The funny, and at the same time, annoying thing is, everyone in the room except Tiny woke up to the alarm!  And her phone is right beside her ear, for Pete’s sake! Hahahaha  Even Liza, who doesn’t follow KPop already knows the tune to this song.

5. ‘Tindahan ni Aling Nena.’  In our rented room, there’s a bunk bed, and a pullout, plus a single bed on the opposite side of the room.  I took the lower bunk, which had a built-in shelving unit that were empty.  Blanca and Tiny brought several cup noodles, crackers and cereal drinks for our breakfast while in Singapore.  While we were unpacking our suitcase on our first night, they kept handing the food stuff over for me to place on the shelves.  Well, I had arranged them neatly, so neatly that it looked like a sari-sari store!  I know we took a pic of that.  I’ll upload it here as soon as I get a copy.

6. Leftie.  We call ourselves lefties while in Singapore. Since Singaporeans drive on the left side of the road, we had to get used to this the first couple of days.  When taking the escalator, we learned that we always have to keep left to give way to pedestrians in a hurry, who’ll walk up the escalator on the right.  Otherwise, we’d be shoved to the left. Hahaha Though that never happened to us.  On our third day, we have already adopted the ‘leftie’ way.

7. Jaywalking!  Don’t worry, we never did this… alone!  LOL  We only did this once on Orchard Road. Okay, we didn’t realize we were jaywalking since we were following a group of pedestrians crossing the road.  It was when we got to the other side that I saw that there was really no ramp going up to the sidewalk! Singapore is very accessible since ramps are everywhere.  So, I knew then that it wasn’t really a pedestrian crosswalk.  But hey, we didn’t get fined, so, there. hahaha  But in Sengkang (where we live), we never, and I really mean never, jaywalked.  Traffic is very light in this area, and even when there aren’t any vehicles on the road, or we see Singaporeans jaywalking, we waited for green light.

8. ‘Pinoy ka?‘  Yes, there are a lot of Filipinos (or Pinoys) in Singapore.  We know that for a fact because we each have separate friends (i.e. not mutual friends) who are working and residing in Singapore.  We get to ask this question everywhere we see a Filipino-looking cashier, crew, staff, etc.  I know we look similar to Malaysians, but just similar.  Filipinos are more tisoy compared to the Malaysians, in my opinion. Right?  Oh, and it helps that they wear ID tags or nameplates, too.  The first person we used this on was Emmanuel of KFC in Resorts World Sentosa.  He was wearing an ID with his complete name, yet I can only read his first name since it was in a bigger font size than his last name.  Liza asked, “Pinoy ka?”  He replied, “Pinoy po.” Liza wasn’t contented and asked, “Bisaya?”  To our surprise, he was Bisaya – from Cagayan de Oro.  We then used this on the Duck & Hippo Tours staff at the Singapore Flyer kiosk.  As it turned out, all three staff we were talking to were Pinoys, with one Bisaya.  The last Pinoy we encountered before we left Singapore was the attendant at the ticket booth of Sengkang MRT station.  His name was Joseph, with a Spanish/Filipino last name. When we asked, he replied, “Mga kababayan. Magandang umaga, mga binibini!” We also met two Pinays at the Universal Studios Singapore (USS).  One was from Batangas and was working at The Mummy ride souvenir shop, while the other was Jhelai from Bulacan, working as a cashier at the USS main souvenir shop. Can you guess how I knew Jhelai was a Pinay?  If you answered because of her name, you’re right.  Filipinos are known to insert an extra ‘H’ to names.  Example: Jhun, Jhelai

9. Cylon. If you’ve been to the Universal Studios Singapore, and saw the Battlestar Galactica rollercoaster ride, then you know what I mean.  Well, in the show where the ride is named after, humans are at war with the Cylons.  The rollercoaster features two types: the Humans (red), and the  Cylons (blue).  The difference is that the people taking the Human ride is seated on the traditional coaster seats, minus the shoulder barrier.  For the Cylon ride, you’ll be seated where your feet will dangle freely.  The seats are connected to the coaster from above.  Cylon was more challenging as it featured a 360-degree turn.  Liza and Blanca were so thrilled to have survived this ride, that they became Cylon BFFs. (^_^)

10. National Orchid Garden Singapore.  Well, this is memorable because on our first trip to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where this is located, we didn’t go in because we thought we would have to pay again.  We had purchased the Duck & Hippo Tours with Singapore Flyer package, which actually included admission into the Orchid Garden!  We thought that we wouldn’t pay again just to see orchids.  We even took a photo of the orchids we could see close to the entrance to the garden, as well as the sign, since we didn’t check the bunch of tickets issued to us!  We only realized that we actually already paid for the tickets when we were on our way to another venue.  We had to go back the following day to enjoy the garden.  I’m glad we did since it was beautiful inside.

I’m sure there are still lots I missed, but these are the top 10 that come to mind when I think about my first visit to Singapore.

Singapore Adventure – Day 3

June 18, 2011 — We had already planned our day the night before. It rained while we were getting ready to go out.  We were hoping it would stop by the time we leave for Sengkang MRT station.  It did, thank God.  But, we were still an hour behind schedule since we left our place at 8:30AM again.

Our first stop of the day was Jurong Bird Park. We had till noon to go around the Park before heading back to the Science Centre. We weren’t able to go in the day before since we got there just before closing time.We would then head back to the Marina area to check out the museums included in the 2-day package we purchased the day before.

Kirk and Don were supposed to meet us for the museum bit. We actually planned the activities for this day yesterday. But, since Kirk told us that he hasn’t been to the museums, we thought we’d switch the itinerary around so he can go with us.  Unfortunately, we didn’t meet till later in the evening.

Anyway, first stop was Jurong Bird Park. Since we plan to visit the Singapore Zoo, we purchased one of the packages at SG$35 per person (for both Jurong Bird Park and Singapore Zoo), which also included a cute little souvenir.

There were a lot of people when we got to the Park. It was a mix of tourists and locals. There were even tour groups with their guides holding up those little flags.  At first, we went around the pens nearest the entrance. First, we dropped by the Penguin pens. We witnessed penguins swimming around in the small pond they had.

When we got out of the penguin pen, we saw a display of brightly colored origami crafts. The park was actually holding the Save the Colours exhibition. Pretty neat, I must say.

We were immediately greeted by a group of brightly colored birds – parrots and parakeets, I think. After taking some pictures, we went further in and saw a pond that held some pink flamingos. That was my first time to see one in the flesh.

It wasn’t just birds that caught our eyes. We saw some pretty interesting installations in the Park, too. Some examples, as shown in the pictures below, include the huge cage with the sign that said “The World’s Most Dangerous Creature Homo sapiens“, and the red phone booth – a common sight in London.

Well, after we took some pictures, we noticed that we’re almost out of time. It was already almost 11AM, and we were only supposed to stay till 11:30 if we wanted to accomplish the rest of our itinerary. Thus, we decided to pay SG$5 to take the tram around the park.

We had one car all to ourselves. There are three stations: Main Station, Lory Station, and the Waterfall Station. You may get off at any one of the stations and go around before the next tram comes along.  We did that for the Lory Station.  The others were hesitant to get off, but I wanted to see some of the birds up close for myself.  Just as soon as we stepped off the tram, it started to drizzle.  We took some pictures and hurried back to the station as soon as the next train pulled up.  Since nobody got off the Lory Station, we had to split up into two pairs. Blanca and I got into one of the cars before Liza and Tiny’s.  We were with three other women – Koreans.

Blanca broke the ice by asking the woman beside her if she was Korean. When she confirmed that she was, I joined in and used the little Korean I know. Hahaha

We no longer stopped at the Waterfall Station because of the light rain and the time.  When we got off, Liza suggested we check out the Pools Amphitheatre for one of the animal shows.  We were in luck – the show was just starting.  The theatre was packed and we stood way back, but we were still entertained by the birds and the trainers.

The show started at 11AM, and lasted 30 minutes. We were right on schedule.  On our way out, we saw these pelicans, and another pool with these cute penguins.

Our next stop was the Science Centre.  We took the MRT to Jurong East Station, then walked to the venue. This time, we got to go inside. It’s pretty hands-on there. There were a lot of exhibits in several floors, but we couldn’t go to each one. Our schedule allowed us to stay till 12:30 only.  We enjoyed the tour, nevertheless.

After Science Centre, we headed back to the Marina area.  Some of the museums included in the package we bought were just around that area. Plus, we wanted needed to go see an icon of Singapore – the Merlion!  That was our first stop, and then we got lost while trying to go to the Asian Civilisation Museum (ACM).  I mean, we see the building, but we couldn’t just cross the street to get to it, lest we get caught jaywalking!  The museum is just behind The Fullerton Hotel.

The museum was a cool welcome to the sweltering heat of the afternoon.  It was pretty impressive.  We saw some sundang from Basilan, Philippines on display. LOL

One of the coolest art installations we saw were these iconic statues with a modern twist to them.  The first piece was a group of terracotta solders donning on huge headphones.  The other was this lady holding a notebook.

After the museum, we had to go back to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Remember the National Orchid Garden tickets we overlooked? Yeah, we realized it was just too much to pass up.  So we caught one of the Hippo Bus outside the ACM headed for the Singapore Botanic Gardens.  We had to hurry now because we wanted to get on the Singapore Flyer by 6:45PM. This is ideal so we will get to see Singapore from above by day and night.

We had a little incident getting into the Botanic Gardens. We thought the bus was still going to park for 20 minutes. We didn’t know that on Saturdays, the bus was just going to go around the roundabout and just pick up passengers, or drop off passengers, without actually parking.

The National Orchid Garden was just wonderful. I was glad we came back for it. We noticed that there were more people in the Botanic Gardens now than the day before. People had blankets laid out on the grass and had picnics.  The theatre/stage by the lake now had a piano.  There was also a wedding reception in the Bukit Hall of the Orchid Garden.

The Orchid Garden was also huge. In fact, we still got lost. haha  There is a Mist House, Cool House, the Celebrity Orchids (orchids named after celebrities who visited Singapore or the Orchid Garden), and a waterfall.

We now had to hurry back to the Marina area to ride the Singapore Flyer. We waited for the Hippo Bus right by the roundabout.  We missed the last one by 5 minutes, thus we had to wait 15 minutes. During which, some park visitors were coming in with their dogs. Liza, as it turned out, was a dog lover and couldn’t resist having her picture taken with a few of them. The owners were so friendly, too.

So we finally got to board the Hippo Bus, and were on our way to go to the Flyer. Unfortunately, the National Day Parade rehearsals closed off the roads around the Flyer. The lady bus driver told us to get off at Suntec, then head towards the Flyer from there.  We decided to walk!  It was such a long walk, but we finally made it by 6:45.

We (or rather, I) followed the signs pointing toward the boarding area for the Singapore Flyer. Unfortunately, it didn’t point to the ticket booths first! We got to the second level, only to be asked to go back down to exchange our pass into individual tickets at the Duck and HIppo Tours booth.  To our surprise, the attendants were all Filipinos! One was even Bisaya. We had a few laughs with them before rushing to get back to the second level.

The ride was long (37 minutes), but the sight was spectacular. We shared a capsule with 3 other pairs.  By the time we were nearing the top, Kirk had already texted Tiny that they are waiting below at Popeye’s.  After the flight, Tiny and Blanca rushed to where Kirk and Don were, while Liza and I stayed behind to claim the souvenir photo.

Going down, Liza and I spotted a familiar kiosk – Gelatissimo! One scoop was about SG$4.50. It was definitely more expensive, but Liza decided to get one for dessert.  Just as we were about to head towards Popeye’s, where the rest were, Paul suddenly showed up in front of us.  We then went together to look for Tiny, Blanca, Kirk and Don.

Paul was with Ernie, and they thought of treating us to dinner.  We had Hainanese Chicken Rice, Fried Oysters (or Oyster Omelets) and some Coke imported from Thailand. We were so loud as people were swapping stories past and present.

At around 9PM, Ernie and Paul decided to go ahead. We weren’t done for the day yet. We wanted to go to the Marina Bay Sands.  Before that, Liza bought her Gelatissimo ice cream first. Don brought along a DSLR camera and we had fun posing for the cam!

We couldn’t get in the casino because of the dress code. T.T  But, we did get this wonderful picture. LOL

After the grand tour of the Marina Bay Sands, we took the bus to the Marina Bay MRT station, then took the MRT back to Sengkang. It was definitely another long fun-filled day.

On to the next adventure!